Fast draw game apparatus



June 25, 1963 1.. s. D'AUBIN 3,095,195

FAST DRAW GAME APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1962 ATTOEI EVS.

United States Patent Ofitice 3,095,195 Patented June 25, 1963 3,095,195 FAST DRAW GAB 1E APPARATUS Lee G. DAubin, 6720 Government Sh, Baton Rouge, La. Filed Mm. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 176,969 3 Claims. (Cl. 2731) This invention relates to a novel fast-draw game apparatus wherein two opposing players vie to draw handguns ahead of each other, and wherein the slower drawer is struck by a bullet from the gun of the faster drawer, to the accompaniment of the detonation of a noise-making cap by the gun of the faster drawer.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of game apparatus of the kind indicated which provides a high degree of amusement and Western realism for the players, and which calls for the development of concentration and skill on the part of the players, through practice.

Another object of the invention is the provision of game apparatus of the character indicated above, which involves a pair of hand-guns having longitudinal chambers for containing and retaining single bullets while the guns are in bolstered positions, the bullets being on the ends of a resilient and stretchable member, extending under tension between the two players, and the bullets being releasable from the chambers of the guns only by unholstering and horizontally levelling the guns, the bullet of the slower drawer being adapted to remain in the chamber of his still holstered gun, and the bullet of the faster drawer being adapted to be propelled against the gun of the slower drawer by the contraction of the released resilient member.

A further object of the invention is the provision of game apparatus of the character indicated above, wherein the hand-guns have cap detonatin-g mechanism which is released into action by the escape of ullets from the chambers of the guns.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, specific forms of the invent-ion are set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective view of two opposed players equipped with game apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a handgun of said apparatus showing the same in vertical, holstered position, and the resilient member secured thereto;

FIGURE 3 is a view like FIGURE 2, partly broken away and in position, showing a bullet retained in its chambers and holding the cap detonating mechanism in cocked condition;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away and in section, showing the hand-gun in unholstered horizontal position, the bullet leaving its chamber, and its mechanism detonating a cap;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of another form of hand-gun of the present invention, showing the same in vertical, bolstered position, and retaining a different form of bullet in its chamber; and,

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the top of the hand-gun of FIGURE 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like and related numerals designate like and related parts throughout the several views, and first to FIGURES 1 through 4, the numerals 10 generally designate similar handguns, normally holstered in erect, downwardly directed positions in similar holsters 12 having belts 14 Worn by two players P, facing each other. For purposes of illustration herein, the hand-guns 10 are shown as being revolvers, having trigger guards 16 enclosing dummy triggers 18, extending downwardly from frames 20, whose sides include representations of bullet cylinders 22.

Dummy barrels 24- extend forwardly from the tops of the frames 20, and have, at their rear ends, cylindrical bullet chambers 26, aligned with the barrels 22. The chambers 25 have closed rear ends 28, side walls 30, which extend the lengths of the barrels, top walls 32 which reach part way from the closed rear ends 28, toward the froward ends of the chambers, and bottom walls 34, which are spaced forwardly from the rear ends 28, to define openings 36 for components of cap detonating mechanisms, hereinafter described.

The bottom walls 34 of the chambers 26 have upper surfaces which include horizontal rear portions 38 and upwardly and forwardly inclined forward portions 40, which serve as ramps, which extend upwardly to the upper edges 42 of the chamber side walls 30. The ramps 46 act to move bullets laterally, that is, upwardly out of the chambers 26, as the bullets are drawn forwardly therein, as hereinafter described. These upper edges 42, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, are on a level slightly below the top walls 32. The forward ends 44 of the top walls 32, the upper edges 42 of the side walls 30, and the upper ends 46 of the ramps 40, define horizontally elongated escape openings 48, for bullets 50.

The bullets 50 comprise elongated hollow cylinders, of resilient and compressible material, such as rubber or the like, which are of sufficient mass to have adequate ballistic characteristics, but light and compressible enough to preclude injury to a player struck by a bullet, in the playing of the game. The bullets 50 have closed and rounded forward ends 52, and open rear ends 54. The forward ends 52 are formed with axial openings 56, through which related ends of a resilient and stretchable member 52, such as a rubber band or cord or the like, are passed and knotted, as indicated at 60, behind the forward ends. The cord 58 is long enough to extend between opposed players P, facing each other, at desired distances apart, in a stretched condition, such that, when a bulle 50 is released from the gun chamber 26 of one of the players, this players bullet will be propelled, by contraction of the cord, toward and strike the other player, preferably his holster 12. In this way, the faster drawing player wins a round in the game, by drawing his gun out of his holster and levelling it at the other player, before the other player can unholster and level his gun.

Each hand-gun 10 further comprises a cap detonating mechanism, generally designated 62, which comprises a cap supporting recess 64 in the frame 20, in line with and behind the chamber 26, which has an open upper end 66, and a slightly forwardly inclined bottom surface 68, against which a cap is drawn by the nose 72 of a hammer 74. The hammer 74 comprises a disc 76 which is centrally pivoted, on a pin 78 which extends across an upwardly opening recess 89, in the frame, located behind and below the cap recess 64. An arm 82 extends upwardly from the disc 76 and terminates, at its upper end, in a rearwardly extending thumb-piece 34, and the forwardly extending nose 72. The nose 72 is adapted to move forwardly into the cap recess 64 and strike the cap 70 against the bottom surface 68 of the recess 64, thereby detonating the cap.

a 'The hammer disc 76 is formed, in its lower edge, with a relatively wide flaring notch 86, in which is engaged the forward end of a forwardly inclined actuating leaf spring 90, whose depressed rear end is fixed to the rear wall 92 of the recess 84), as indicated at 94, on a level below the hammer pivot pin 78. The spring 90 is tensioned to move upwardly and rearwardly from the depressed and tensioned cocked position, shown in FIG- URE 3, to the released position, shown in FIGURE 4, for driving the hammer nose 72 against the cap 70 in the recess 64. The hammer 74 is held in the cocked position 7 of FIGURE 3, by a sear 96, which is centrally pivoted on a pin 98, extending across the recess 80, at a location spaced forwardly from and above the hammer disc 76.

The sear 96 comprises a rearwardly and'downwardly angled rear arm 100 having an upwardly directed hook 192, on its rear end, which, as shown in FIGURE 3, engages under a stop 164, on the lower part of the hammer disc 76 which is located thereon forwardly from the notch 86, whereby the hammer is held in cocked position, with the actuating spring 99 under tension. The scar 96 further comprises a forwardly and upwardly angled forward arm 106, which has an upwardly bowed upper surface 108, at the rear end of which is an upstandingnose 110. In the cocked condition of the cap detonating mechanism, as shown-in FIGURE 3, the forward sear arm 106 is slightly depressed below the upper surface portion 38 of the chamber bottom wall 34. In this position of the sear 96, its forward arm 106 depresses and tensions a V-shaped sear releasing spring 112, having a lower arm- 114, bearing upon the bottom 116 of the recess 85, and anupper arm 118 bearing against the underside of the forward rear arm 106. This provides for the reception in the chamber 26, of a bullet 50, with the open rear end 54 of the bullet engaged with the nose 110, and with the forward end 52 of the bullet at or slightly forwardly beyond the forward edges 44 of the chamber top wall 32, whereby, in a vertical position of the gun, as when engaged in a holster 12, the bullet 50 is prevented from moving forwardly out of the chamber 26, through the escape opening 48, and the bullet holds the sear 96 in a depressed cocked position.

In operation, when a hand-gun 10 is unholstered and levelled horizontally at an opposing player P, with the cord 58 stretched between them, the bullet 59 is freed to be pulled forwardly by the cord 58, out of the chamber 26, and toward the opposing player. As the bullet 50 is thus drawn out of the chamber 26, the spring 112 tilts the sear 96 rearwardly and downwardly, so that its hook 102 is disengaged from the hammer disc stop 1G4, and the leaf spring 99 is freed and drives ,the hammer 74 forwardly and detonates the cap 70 in the recess 64.

The form of hand-gun shown in FIGURES and 6, and generally designated a, differs from that of FIGURES 1 to 4, as, described above, only in the structure of the top wall 32a of its chamber 26a, and in the structure of its bullet 50a. The chamber top wall.32a is provided with a centered longitudinal slot 120 which opens 'to the forwardend of the top wall 32a, and receives the cord 58a, in the erect, holstered position of the hand-gun 10a, as shown in FIGURE 5. V

The bullet 50 is a resilient and compressible ball, of a diameter to fit slidably, under slight compression, in the chamber26a, to which the related end of the cord 58:: is suitably secured. The bullet 50a can be drawn out of the chamber 26a through the escape opening 48a 4 thereof, only when the hand gun 16a is unholstered and brought to a horizontal position.

Although there have been shown and described preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are con templated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. Quick-draw game apparatus comprising a pair of hand-guns, adapted to be held by a pair of opposing players in erect and horizontal positions, a resilient and stretchable cord having bullets secured on its ends and adapted to be stretched between the handguns, and bullet retaining means on the hand-guns, said retaining means being operative in erect positions of the handguns to retain the bullets in the hand-guns and in level horizontal position of one hand-gun to release the bullet related thereto to be pulled by the cord toward the other gun, said retaining means including a chamber open at the forward end, said bullets each comprising a body shaped for acceptance in the chamber, there being a cap-holding recess behind the chamber, the chamber having a bottom provided with an opening, and springpressed detonating mechanism on the hand-gun having a scar reaching through said opening engaging the bullet, engagement of the bullet in the chamber with the sear serving to hold the mechanism in cocked condition and withdrawal of the bullet from the chamber serving to release the mechanism for detonating a cap in the cap recess.

2. Quick-draw game apparatus comprising a pair of 7 handguns, adapted to be held by a pair of opposing players in erect and horizontal positions, a resilient and stretchable cord having bullets secured on its ends and adapted to be stretched between the hand-guns, and bullet retaining means on the hand-guns, said retaining means being operative in erect positions of the hand guns to retain the bullets in the hand-guns and in level horizontal position of one hand-gun to release the bullet related thereto to be pulled by the cord toward the other gun, each of said hand-guns comprising a frame and a barrel extending forwardly from the rame, said retaining means comprising a longitudinal chamber having a closed rear end and an open forward end, said chamber comprising a bottom wall, side Walls, and a top wall, said top wall having a forward end spaced from the forward end of the chamber and defining an escape opening, said bullets each comprising a body shaped for acceptance in the chamber beneath the chamber .top wall, said frame having a cap holding recess behind the chamber, the bottom wall of the chamber having an opening, and spring-pressed detonating mechanism on the frame having a sear reaching through said opening, and engaging the bullet, engagement of the bullet in the chamber with the sear serving to hold the mechanism in cocked condition and withdrawal of the bullet from the chamber serving to release the mechanism for detonating a cap in cap recess.

3. Quick-draw game apparatus comprising a pair of hand-guns, adapted to be held by a pair of opposing players in erect and horizontal positions, a resilient and stretchable cord having bullets secured on its ends and adapted to, be stretched between the hand-guns, and bullet retaining means on the hand-guns, said retaining means being operative in erect positions of .the hand-guns to retain the bullets in the hand-guns and in level horizontal position of one hand-gun to release the bullet related thereto to be pulled by the cord toward the other gun, each of said hand-guns comprising a frame' and a barrel extending forwardly from the frame, said retaining means comprising a longitudinal chmber having a closed rear end and an open forward end, said chamber comprising a bottom wall, side walls, and a top wall, said top wall having a forward end spaced from the forward end of the chamber and defining an escape opening, said bullets each comprising a body shaped for acceptance in the chamber beneath the chamber top wall, said frame having a cap holding recess behind the chamber, the bottom Wall of the chamber having an opening, and spring-pressed detonating mechanism on the frame having a sear reaching through said opening, and engaging the bullet, engagement of the bullet in the chamber with the sear serving to hold the mechanism in cocked condition and withdrawal of the oullet from the chamber serving to release the mechanism for detonating a cap in cap recess, the hand-gun frame having an upwardly opening recess in Which said mechanism is located, said mechanism having an upstanding hammer located behind and facing said cap recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Campbell Nov. 7, 1961 

1. QUICK-DRAW GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A PAIR OF HAND-GUNS, ADAPTED TO BE HELD BY A PAIR OF OPPOSING PLAYERS IN ERECT AND HORIZONTAL POSITIONS, A RESILIENT AND STRETCHABLE CORD HAVING "BULLETS" SECURED ON ITS ENDS AND ADAPTED TO BE STRETCHED BETWEEN THE HAND-GUNS, AND "BULLET" RETAINING MEANS ON THE HAND-GUNS, SAID RETAINING MEANS BEING OPERATIVE IN ERECT POSITIONS OF THE HANDGUNS TO RETAIN THE "BULLETS" IN THE HAND-GUNS AND IN LEVEL HORIZONTAL POSITION OF ONE HAND-GUN TO RELEASE THE "BULLET" RELATED THERETO TO BE PULLED BY THE CORD TOWARD THE OTHER GUN, SAID RETAINING MEANS INCLUDING A CHAMBER OPEN AT THE FORWARD END, SAID BULLETS EACH COMPRISING A BODY SHAPED FOR ACCEPTANCE IN THE CHAMBER, THERE BEING A CAP-HOLDING RECESS BEHIND THE CHAMBER, THE CHAMBER HAVING A BOTTOM PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING, AND SPRINGPRESSED DETONATING MECHANISM ON THE HAND-GUN HAVING A SEAR REACHING THROUGH SAID OPENING ENGAGING THE BULLET, ENGAGEMENT OF THE BULLET IN THE CHAMBER WITH THE SEAR SERVING TO HOLD THE MECHANISM IN COCKED CONDITION AND WITHDRAWAL OF THE BULLET FROM THE CHAMBER SERVING TO RELEASE THE MECHANISM FOR DETONATING A CAP IN THE CAP RECESS. 